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People's Choice Awards to Launch in India

Mark Burnett's production company is the awards' license distribution partner.

This is the first time the awards ceremony is being adapted outside the U.S. in its 39-year history.

MUMBAI - The People's Choice Awards will be adapted for India, the first time the format has been licensed outside the U.S. in its 39-year history.

PCA is a Procter & Gamble Entertainment-owned and -operated property and its Indian version will broadcast on Viacom18's Hindi entertainment channel Colors. The show's exclusive license distribution partner is Mark Burnett Productions’ One Three Media; Mumbai-based Bulldog Media and Entertainment is the exclusive format license partner for India and will also handle local production and digital.

In the past, Bulldog has adapted local versions of shows including Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? and Beauty and the Geek.

"From Bollywood to Indipop, India has a rich and important history in entertainment. We’ve seen a major increase in the role Indian movies, music and culture are playing on a global scale. When you pair this trend with the fact that India is the second-most populous country and the most-populous democracy in the world, you have the perfect scenario for an awards show which gives the people the opportunity to celebrate their favorite stars, musicians, movies and television programs," PCA president Fred Nelson told THR.

As part of localizing the awards, PCA India will include a sports category in addition to existing entertainment categories covering film and music.

"The U.S. show has honored sports stars in the past, but never had it as a specific genre. In India, while we have retained the U.S. show’s equity and categories, adding a sports-specific voting category is definitely a first and a visible change. Plus, the Indian event format is a four-hour show -- the U.S. format is two hours -- which means that we have a larger canvas in which we can engage talent through more performances, presenters and award winners," said One Three Media senior VP Scot Cru.

The Indian format will follow PCA's international version with potential nominees being determined via national ratings averages, box office grosses, music sales and then vetted through Ormax Market Research. The winners will then be determined by public voting on PeoplesChoiceIndia.com.

The show will be taped in India on Oct. 27 with an airdate to be announced by Colors closer to the timeslot slated for November.